Undaunted, we packed him into the car for the ride home. On the way, my wife and I sang songs for Stanley because the car radio made him uncomfortable. As we drove under an overpass, Stanley would duck his head. By the time we got him home, he knew his name. Smart as a whip! We took him into our large, old house and Stanley, who had never been in a house before, was scared of everything -- the television, the stairs, doors that slammed, being in a room by himself, or the sound of the furnace coming on. Whenever something strange and new would happen, Stanley would slowly, but nobly, crawl into my lap for security and a head rub.

Jump-cut 3 years ....

My life has changed dramatically. A nasty divorce has left me without confidence, possessions, money and desire to continue. My house was taken from me. The one thing, honestly -- the one thing I fought for was Stanley. Fortunately, he stayed with me.

I was scared of everything -- dating, commitment, being alone, being with someone. I was unwilling to trust people. Whenever these feelings would hit, Stanley would proudly, confidently and eagerly crawl into my lap to offer security in exchange for a head rub.

Soon, my natural confidence returned. I began to explore my life again, finding was left of the old and what new pieces were blossoming within me. I found my world again and my place in the world. With his support, Stanley helped me to become a confident, complete man again.

Now, I've purchased a big old house for me and Stanley to explore. My life is back on track, and I owe most of that to the wonderful little dog who has mace made my life complete.

The second hardest thing when talking about Stanley is knowing when to stop....